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Metuchen Board approves personnel, finance, policy and curriculum items; gets construction, COVID-update and environmental award reports
Summary
At its Dec. 10 meeting the Metuchen Board of Education approved personnel, finance, policy and curriculum agenda items, heard a six-month Safe Return to School update, received a construction progress report tied to the district referendum and accepted a statewide environmental award presented to the district.
The Metuchen Board of Education on Dec. 10 approved routine personnel, finance, policy and curriculum items and heard updates on construction tied to the district referendum, the six‑month Safe Return to School review and a statewide environmental award.
The board voted to approve personnel items A1–A14 after a motion and roll-call vote. The slate passed; one board member abstained on one personnel subitem (A8). Doctor Anthony Caputo, superintendent of schools, gave the required six‑month Safe Return to School update and said “there's no changes from the June update,” adding that the district continues to monitor cases and “masks [are] available to students or staff if they need it.”
The meeting opened with recognition of student musical and athletic achievements. Mister David Messenger of the Metuchen High School music program and coaches were invited to the podium to present the marching band and fall sports champions; the board recognized teams and student awardees from cross country, girls soccer and other fall sports.
Construction committee chair Mister Michael Glassberg reported on referendum‑funded building projects under the district construction program. Glassberg said the high school cafeteria addition has steel in place and that masonry work has started in the gym; he reported that the pier foundation work and other underground work have been completed and that HVAC equipment is expected to arrive in January. He said the Campbell cafeteria addition is “very far along” and that masonry and roof work at Edgar and Moss schools are proceeding. The committee noted some pending change orders related primarily to windows and bathrooms and said the district was awaiting final prices before acting.
On the school calendar and related operational decisions, Policy Committee chair Michelle Cook said the committee’s goal is to present a calendar at the board’s second meeting in January and that, “at this point in time, the assumption is that we should be beginning directly after Labor Day.” The construction committee and finance committee reported the district aims to decide on full‑day kindergarten in February and on busing plans in March, with grade‑realignment timing dependent on construction progress.
Doctor Caputo and district staff accepted the New Jersey Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award for work the district described as climate and sustainability initiatives across its four schools. Caputo said the award trophy is “like the Stanley Cup” and identified collaborators who attended the awards ceremony in Trenton: Kate Lemerick (supervisor of math and science), middle‑school teacher and environmental club advisor Chrissy Kremer, high‑school environmental science teacher and club advisor Yoko Kato, and senior Rowan Brown.
Finance Committee chair Mister Michael Suss reported on budget transfers and transportation matters, including rising transportation costs and planned bid specifications for referendum‑funded furniture. Suss noted B7 on the agenda consisted of change orders tied to ongoing construction work.
On votes: the board approved minutes from recent November meetings after roll call (one member recorded an abstention on a November 12 item during earlier proceedings but the motion ultimately carried). The personnel package A1–A14 passed with one abstention on A8; finance items B1–B7 passed; policy item C1 passed; and curriculum items D1–D4 passed. Roll‑call votes were taken for each grouped slate and meeting minutes and motions were recorded on the public record.
The board also announced its Jan. 7, 2025 reorganization meeting; the board set that reorganization meeting to begin at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 7, when a newly elected board member will be sworn in and officers chosen. Doctor Caputo said the district will post the Safe Return plan on the district website and provide another six‑month update in six months.
The meeting included several committee reports and routine approvals (volunteer coaches and club advisers, event staff and other operational items) and closed after public remarks and holiday announcements. The board adjourned following unanimous assent to the evening’s final motion.
